New Delhi: Around 50 hostel inmates of Lucknow University staged a protest on Monday after the university authorities asked them to pay an additional amount for hostel and mess facilities as their examinations got delayed. The hostel inmates said that just after the three-day NAAC team visit got over on Saturday, the university started asking students to pay an extra amount of ₹4,860, especially those students who want to avail mess and hostel facilities. These are mostly BA final year students whose exams got delayed.

The students claimed that they have already paid ₹41,000 fees, including ₹32,000 as mess charges. The university delayed their exam because the previous semester’s exam was held very late, they said.

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With very little time to complete the syllabus, the exam was deferred, said Prasoon Agrahari, an inmate of Mahmudabad hostel.

Prince Prakash, another student, said that the university administration raised no such issue last week perhaps because the NAAC team was on campus. Now that it has left, the Lucknow University authorities have started harassing the students, he alleged.

Chief provost Prof Nalini Pandey said, “About 45 students of three boys’ hostels were agitating today as they did not want to pay the hostel and mess fees for the month of August. Due to Covid, these students have paid fees only for ten months, whereas as per rules notified in the rules and regulation of the University, they have to pay mess fees for 11 months.”

She said, “Now they are refusing to pay fees for the 11th month. Their demand is that since the session is extended, it is the responsibility of the university to pay for their meals. They want to avail the mess facility without paying for it.”

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“The session was delayed due to Covid in 2021. After the announcement of the exam schedule, they wanted the exams to be postponed. They also requested a special back paper. The university took cognizance of their demand and gave permission. Now they are insisting that since exams have been postponed due to delays in sessions, it is the responsibility of the university to pay for their meals. The other hostels have already paid their dues as is applicable,” she said.

“The obscene agitation against the increase in mess fees is uncalled for and unbecoming of students in this great seat of learning. The attempt to disrupt the university’s functioning by their wrong allegation deserves strong condemnation and warrants disciplinary proceedings,” chief provost said.

(Inputs from Hindustan Times)